Half-step Purgatory

Durin stroked the black cat on the armrest of his chair, sitting on the black leather sofa. Through the glasses perched on his nose, his gaze passed over the long table in front of him and settled on the man kneeling on the carpet:
"I understand, you've made money in Naples, your business has been very successful, and you've led a happy life. You've had those secret police, friends in both the law and the underground, and even the Royal Family speaking on your behalf."
"You don't need a friend like me, I know that. You're afraid of owing me a favor, and you don't want to get involved in troubles."
"But now you come to me and say, 'I beg you, Mr. Durin of the Corleon family, please help me seek justice, so that my life and my family will not suffer and sink into despair.'
Yet, in your eyes, I was nothing more than a second-rate artist involved in movies and music. Even at the brink of death, you still show me such disrespect, not even willing to call me by my title... Keeper of Secrets."

Durin's Diary

Durin and Reed emerged from the Teleportation Gate to find the small building enveloped in ice, unoccupied for a long time.


Taking Reed with him, Durin blinked directly into the building—the door was frozen shut.


As soon as they entered the building, Reed began lighting the lamps with practiced ease.


Meanwhile, Durin started to ignite the stove fire—first using a Spell Formula to thoroughly dry the wood piled next to the stove, and then using Mage Hand to throw the timber into the fireplace, where the flames from the spell ignited it.


Durin then went into the kitchen, checked the cast-iron pot, and after finding a few flaws, he restored it.


The iron pot turned to liquid and then quickly solidified into the familiar shape that Durin knew. He set it in place, added some spices and a bit of water, lit the stove fire, and placed the pot over it.


Soon, tiny sparks burst forth from beneath the pot, thawing the frozen blue calico curtains as the temperature rose.


Chapter 323: Half a Day of Leisure